Search Cherokee County Busted Mugshots

Cherokee County has grown fast over the past two decades, and with a population now over 293,000, its jail system processes a steady stream of bookings each year. If you want to find Cherokee County busted mugshots, arrest records, or current inmate data, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office maintains a public jail list where you can search by name and see charges, booking details, and custody status without paying any fee.

Cherokee County Sheriff Inmate Search and Jail Roster

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office publishes a public jail list at sheriff.cherokeecountyga.gov. The roster is searchable and shows each inmate's ID number, full name, current charges, and booking information. The system caps results at 500 records, which covers the active jail population at any given time. You do not need to register or pay to run a search.

The jail list used to live on a separate section of the county website but was moved to the main Cherokee County Sheriff's Office site. If you bookmarked an older URL, head to the sheriff's homepage and look for the inmate search link there. The system is updated regularly and reflects current custody status for each person listed.

Results show the inmate's ID, full name, charges filed, and booking date. That is useful if you want to confirm someone is in custody or pull basic Cherokee County arrest record data.

The screenshot below shows the Cherokee County Sheriff's inmate search and jail roster, where you can look up current detainees by name.

The jail list at the Cherokee County Sheriff's site shows inmate ID, name, charges, and booking details for each person currently in custody.

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and Booking Records

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office homepage serves as the main hub for public safety information in the county. From there you can get to the jail list, find contact information for the sheriff's staff, and learn about open records procedures. The sheriff's office handles all bookings for Cherokee County, so any arrest made in the county runs through this agency.

Cherokee County is part of the Cherokee Judicial Circuit. Arrests made by city police departments within the county, including the Canton Police Department and the Woodstock Police Department, typically result in bookings at the county jail. So if you are looking for a Cherokee County arrest record connected to a city arrest, the sheriff's jail list is still the right place to start.

Note: Not all arrests result in a jail booking. Minor offenses may lead to a citation and release, in which case no inmate record will appear in the online roster.

The screenshot below shows the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office homepage, the central point for arrest data, inmate services, and public records in Cherokee County.

The sheriff's homepage links to the jail list, public safety news, and other resources for Cherokee County residents looking for arrest or booking information.

Georgia Law on Booking Photos and Cherokee County Mugshot Access

A 2014 Georgia law changed how booking photos can be shared online. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, law enforcement agencies including the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office are not allowed to post booking photos on public websites. That is why the jail list shows charges and names but does not display photos. The law was meant to protect people whose charges are later dropped or who are found not guilty.

Third-party websites do collect and publish Cherokee County busted mugshots. These sites pull booking photos from various sources. If you or someone you know has a photo on one of these sites and the arrest qualifies for restriction, Georgia law offers a path to removal. Under O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 (passed in 2013), mugshot companies must remove photos free of charge within 30 days if the arrest is eligible for record restriction. You send the removal request by certified mail and include the person's name, date of birth, arrest date, and the arresting agency. The Georgia Consumer Protection Division has a guide that explains the process.

The Georgia Open Records Act, found at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, governs formal requests for records held by Cherokee County agencies. Under that law, the agency must respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of staff time costs nothing. The first 20 pages are free, and pages beyond that run $0.10 each.

Statewide Databases Covering Cherokee County Arrest Records

Several state-level tools can fill gaps that the Cherokee County inmate search doesn't cover. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, which holds criminal history data for the entire state. You can submit a formal request for a criminal history check through GCIC if you need verified records. The process involves a fee and identification but gives you official results.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free and shows photos for people currently in state prison. It won't show someone held in the Cherokee County Jail, but if a person convicted in Cherokee County has moved on to state prison, they may appear in the GDC database. The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 and gives instant results on felony conviction records statewide, including anyone convicted in Cherokee County courts.

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry, operated by the GBI, is free to search by name or address. It includes photos and shows registration details. Anyone looking for sex offender data tied to a Cherokee County address will find this tool useful.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Bureau of Investigation homepage, the state agency that manages criminal history data and open records for Georgia law enforcement.

The GBI oversees criminal history records statewide and processes open records requests for law enforcement data that goes beyond what the Cherokee County Sheriff publishes online.

Cherokee County Open Records Requests for Booking Photos

If you want a certified copy of a Cherokee County booking photo or arrest record, a formal open records request is the right approach. The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office handles these requests in writing. Include the subject's name, the approximate arrest date, and any case or booking number you have. Under the Georgia Open Records Act, the sheriff's office must acknowledge your request within three business days and provide the records or a timeline for fulfillment. Booking photos taken in Cherokee County are public records, though the 2014 statute limits how agencies can post them online.

For records tied to Cherokee County court proceedings, the Cherokee County Superior Court Clerk's Office maintains court filings, case dispositions, and related documents. Court records are separate from jail records. A case number or defendant name is usually enough to pull court documents. The GBI open records portal handles requests for GBI-held data. For sheriff-held records, contact the Cherokee County Sheriff directly.

Note: Court records and jail records are separate. A person may have a court case without a corresponding active jail entry if they were released on bond or cited and released.

Cities in Cherokee County

Cherokee County includes several cities. The following cities have their own pages with local arrest record and inmate search information.

Nearby Counties

Cherokee County borders several counties in the north Atlanta metro. Each has its own jail and inmate search resources.